Against the Fates
by Hairibo
Summary: Ever hear that working at a gas station could possibly be the worst job? Well, Steve and Soda are about to find out just how bad it can be. Who knew that when that man came in there was a chance they wouldn't walk out? By Kiks
1. Hound Dog

A/n: Hello! This is Kiks again with yet another story. Obviously this one will not be a long one – that's for sure – but it will consist of several chapters before it is over. I'm thinking three, maybe four. Anyway, those of you who have read any of my other stories know that I am good for updating ALWAYS. I will never not update, so don't think that I'll give up on this because I've gotten myself into a "rut" or something. No, that's not going to happen. Especially now that it's the summer and I have more than enough time to write all that I want and can.

In this story, every chapter will be from either Steve or Soda's POV. It starts out with Steve's and the next chapter will be Soda. Got it? Good.

Disclaimer: I don't own S.E. Hinton's characters, settings, names, or anything else that she has rights to. I do own the jerk who shows up in this story and the plot. I think that just about covers it all, yeah?

Enjoy!

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Chapter One

(Steve's POV)

If I hadn't know Two-Bit for the better part of my life, I would've thought he was stoned off his ass. I mean, I ain't never seen anyone drive so slow out of the school parking lot before. He took his sweet time while Pony and I waited for him to get going, growing more impatient with each honk aimed our way. He leaned passively over and turned up the volume on the radio, bobbed his head from side to side, and tapped his fingers on that roughed-up steering wheel of his.

"Hey, Two-Bit," I turned down the radio, disgusted with his choice of song, "pick up the speed a bit, will ya? You're gonna make me late for work, and you know damn well what's gonna happen if I do. I can't risk it again."

The dweeb in the backseat had to stay after to talk to his Chemistry teacher and Two-Bit wouldn't leave without him. I wasn't in the worst of moods, but I'll be damned if he causes me to lose my job. Boss-man was already barking up my tree about Kools and where I've been getting them, knowing full well that I've been buying them from Soda for ages now.

"All right, all right. Keep your pants on. You ain't goin' to be late, 'kay?" He pushed on the gas and sped up.

"Okay..." I said, calming down now that we were moving.

"Hey, Two-Bit?" Ponyboy leaned forward against the seat, over on Two-Bit's side, clearly avoiding me.

"Yeah?"

The kid glanced at me and nearly faltered. "Um... Can you take me home after we drop off Steve? I've got a five page report due tomorrow in English, and I ain't started on it yet. Darry's gonna skin me if I don't get some of it done before he gets home."

"Sure thing, kid." I was willing to bet that Two-Bit had plans of going over there anyway. He didn't have anything much else to do without us around, so he could always be found at either of our houses. It was nice to have him hanging around, especially these days. There were fewer things to do, now that Dally and Johnny were gone. Fewer and more rough.

We pulled into the parking lot and before he'd put the car in park I was halfway to the door.

"Bye, Steve," Two-Bit called as I walked away.

"Yeah, see ya."

"Bye," Pony called timidly. I snickered in spite of myself.

I pushed the door open and noticed Soda re-stocking the milk section of the freezer, singing an Elvis Presley song to himself.

"...Crying all the time...You ain't nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time... You ain't never –"

Man, you should've seen him. He was playing the air guitar in between loads, swiveling his hips. That kid had no shame, especially when a customer could walk in on him at any moment. I thought it was great. He looked like a lunatic though.

"Practicing up to be the next Elvis are you?" I asked as I went behind the counter to drop off my backpack and change into my jumper.

He spun around, not knowing that I was there, and smirked. "Better me than you."

"Oh ho..." I laughed. "You wish."

"No." He attempted to correct me. "I _know_." He grinned and kicked the empty box out of his way.

"Yeah, right."

I closed the door to the office slightly while I stepped into my jumper, in case a customer came in. I found the roll book and marked down that I had come in on time and went back out into the store.

"Slow business?" I asked as I picked out a pack of cigarettes and slipped some money into the cash register. The place was empty. There was usually always _someone_ in.

"Eh, not too bad. Could be better. I've practically had the place to myself... and Kip. But he's been sticking to outside mostly." He hopped back behind the counter and made himself comfortable while I headed to the freezer to get myself a cool drink before going out to the garage.

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"'Cause I... _conveniently_... forgot my coat at home." He grinned slyly. "I ain't itching to pump gas in this weather, and he don't mind as long as he's got a coat, so..." It wasn't too bad outside, for being the end of fall, but you definitely wouldn't want to work out there unless you had a coat.

"Cool... I don't...never mind. I need to go."

I wasn't done talking to him, but right as I started up again, a man came in and went immediately to the counter, so I decided now was as good as anytime to break off the conversation. I was pushing it, not going out back yet as it was.

Soda nodded, understanding and fixed his attention on the hick-looking man. "Hey, what can I get for you?"

"Pack of Camels." The guy fished into this pocket for his wallet, looking bored out of his mind.

"All right," Soda said and turned around to unlock the case, but found the key ring gone. "Erm... hold up..." He looked around a little for the keys.

"Oh, wait, Soda," I called, and turned back around. "I got it. Hold on." I forgot I had them with me. I must've forgotten to put it back.

I got there fast and unlocked it for him. I wasn't supposed to be getting into the cigarette cabinet, as Boss-man constantly reminds us, but Soda never stopped me. And I knew I had nothing to worry about. I could trust Sodapop.

I turned back to where Soda had opened the register and felt the bottom of my stomach fall clean past my feet. The end of a heater was barely visible under Soda's ribcage, the owners hands holding it quite steady. I couldn't move. That damned gun was going to blow a hole through him and I couldn't fucking move.

"Now..." the man started, "we can make this real simple if you'd like." He moved the heater back and forth, slowly, between us now. "All I want is the money, and then I'll be out of here."

He cocked the gun.

"O-Okay," Soda stuttered and slowly put the key in the cash register, hands shaking as he went along. I watched out the of corner of my eye as he carefully placed his foot on the silent alarm and began to pull out the bills as fast as he could. That was my buddy for you. He was smart in these kind of situations. If it was me being ordered around, I probably would've completely forgotten about the alarm. Hell, I had already forgotten about it – I ain't never cared enough about it before.

As he finished stuffing the last of the money into his fists, one of his hands popped open, being too full, and he dropped some of the money on the floor, fumbling with the other half in his hands. "Oh shit." He dropped to his knees and started to gather it up. He was buying time anyway that he could. I'd help him if I could figure out something to do, but with a gun now being pointed in my direction and I wasn't up to doing anything stupid. I just hope he wasn't going to kill us with his antics.

"Damn it!" The man grumbled and shoved the gun back in his coat, but then immediately took it back out, changing his mind, and pointed it back at me. "What the hell is he doing down there?"

"Picking up the money..."

"No, he's not. What's he doing?" He shook the gun in his fury.

"I told you. Picking up the money. That's what you came here for, isn't it?"

"Damn it!" He looked over the counter, then outside, to see if anyone was noticing – saw that no one was, and looked back down the floor where Soda sat, scooping up money. He pointed his gun to the red light blinking on the floor under the counter. "What's that?"

"Nothing," I answered, watching Soda shake with more fear than he had at any other point. That was the stupidest answer I could've given...damn.

In the distance, a siren could be heard, and it got louder every second. The man's face when red with rage and he jumped over the counter, knocking me out of the way, picked up Soda by the collar and shoved him into the office.

"Damn you!" he yelled, "God damn it!" He grabbed me and made to shove me out of the way as he closed the door, but I stood my ground.

This fucker couldn't ever relate to the rage now causing me to tremble. It had been a hell of a year for loss and I'll be damned to hell if deaths five and six were coming.

I grabbed him by the shirt and tried to knock him to the ground, despite the fact that he was still holding the gun. We all three ended up in the office, Soda flat on his ass in the corner, the hick baring down on me while I held him off with the switch from my back pocket. He was too big for me to budge him much. He grabbed my wrists, ripped the knife from me, and shoved me down on top of Soda. Soda groaned under my weight and I winced as his knees knocked into my stomach. Picking myself up again, I heard a soft click and knew the door had been locked.

It required a key both inside and out. The key was out.

He rounded back on us, the gun swinging dangerously in his hand. "Sit down and shut the hell up. You got that?"

Soda gave me a warning look and I slowly obliged. I wasn't going to jeopardize anyone else, and I sure as hell wasn't going to chance myself.

---

A/n: All right, thanks for reading! Please review, because you know... those are so nice to get. Lol. I mean, shoot, if you took the time to read this, you can all take fifteen seconds to review. It ain't going to hurt you any, right? Oh, and flames are also welcome... they only make me more motivated to write and continue to piss the hater off :D


	2. Psychotic people make me nervous

A/n: Wow, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I didn't mean for it to take this long, I really didn't. But as some of you know I've been a bit busy with my awards site ) and a few other stories that, sadly enough, take priority over this one. But, I'm astounded at the feedback that this got for the first chapter! Thank you all so much for reading! I hope this chapter is satisfactory enough. It was very hard to write, lol.  
  
Dedication: To Rock who has had a difficult week (I hope it gets better from here on out!) and to the Goddess because she's leaving us for a few weeks and we're all just going to die without her around! Love you two!  
  
Disclaimer: I own Theron Jackson and the police and this plot...S.E. Hinton owns the boys that I would die to own.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
---  
  
Chapter Two  
  
(Soda's POV)  
  
"Now," the man whispered, "you're gonna be a couple of good boys for me, you've got that? Ain't no one gonna get hurt as long as y'all do as asked. Understood?" We nodded, not too keen on the idea of our heads possibly being blown apart, but angry at the fact that he called us 'boys.' I don't think HE understood whom he was dealing with. "Good." He grinned and turned back to the door and tried to listen. The police had arrived.  
  
Steve was breathing deeply and glaring daggers at the back of his head. He started to sit up straighter, and not sure what he was doing, I flung an arm out to stop him from going any further. I hissed his name, trying to warn him against doing anything stupid, but he only silenced me with a look and I knew then that he wouldn't do anything unless he was one hundred percent sure of what he was doing. That satisfied me, yet at the same time didn't give full comfort. But what could I do, right?  
  
"Hey! You!" The guy pointed to me. I looked from him to Steve startled. "Yeah, you. You called those sons of bitches. Get over here!" he snapped.  
  
Jumping to my feet, I inched my way to him. Sirens were wailing loudly now. Even through the thick walls it was sickening pitch - but, a welcome one at that. The man grabbed my collar and yanked me to him. He smelled faintly of alcohol, like he had worn the same outfit three days earlier and had forgotten to wash it after being doused in beer. Oh well, better stale alcohol than fresh BO like some of the customers that came in.  
  
"You hear that?" He shook me by the shirt, indicating the hustle and bustle of cops in the other room. "You hear that? ... Not feeling so brave, now are you?"  
  
Actually, it didn't faze me much. I still felt the same as before - scared and defenseless. But the cops being there was a bit of comfort, considering it was their job to get us out a live. So, I assumed he was just expressing his own feelings and went along with it. "Um... no..."  
  
"Hey!" He shook me again and I stopped. "Don't use that tone with me." I completely silenced myself at that and looked at Steve out of the corner of my eyes.  
  
"Look, man," Steve found bravery and stupidity at the same time, "you asked him a question and he answered. Don't give him that."  
  
My eyes went wide again and I tried to shut him up, but he's Steve and there's little you can do about that. But, the guy sure thought that he could, and he clamped a strong, sweaty hand over my mouth, hearing the cops coming and stake out the place. He held the gun towards Steve.  
  
"Remember our deal, son." He cocked the gun as a warning. He started to whisper again. "Not a sound out of you. Got it?"  
  
Steve sat there with an expressionless look.  
  
The man nodded and turned his attention back to what was going on outside.  
  
I wished he would uncover my mouth. I didn't know I'd have difficulties breathing, but apparently I had a cold coming on and it was hard to breathe through my nose. Not only that, but it was just hard to breathe through your nose when you know you could be using your mouth and take a couple of deep breaths. It was a mental game, and I knew it. But even though I wasn't willing to go down easily, there wasn't anything I could do about a cold.  
  
I wished there was a window or some sort of vent in this room. A window, because I'd like to see what was going on outside and a vent because it was stifling and with three people in a small room - it would get ugly and fast. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't breathe worth anything. Maybe circulating air would help.  
  
You know, starting the second after I pressed the silent alarm, I regretted having ever done it. Of course I would've been fired if I didn't, regardless of whether or not the guy got away with it -- but I'd take that over possibly coming out of this office in a body bag. Part of me was glad that this psychotic mental case was surrounded by police. It gave Steve and me the upper hand in coming out on top. But the logical part of me was screaming inside my head because he had a gun and didn't seem to have any fears of using it.  
  
I didn't have the faintest clue how long it would take the police to figure out that we were in here, but I was hoping they had someone with them who knew what they were doing. Most of the Goddamn police I've interacted with couldn't negotiate to save their lives. All they could do was sound powerful and intimidating. But if you threw something in their faces that threatened their complex in anyway, they crumbled like a cheesecake and threw handcuffs on you. Yeah, that was part of their job, but shouldn't it be part of their job to know how to deal with all types of people? I have no anger towards policeman, but someone out there sure as hell better not fit the mold.  
  
It was getting to the point where I couldn't breathe anymore. I reached up and yanked at the man's hand to let go, but he only grabbed on tighter.  
  
"Don't push it, kid," he whispered and shook me. "You're mine now, and you'll do what I want you to and you won't do what I tell you to not. Don't you dare..."  
  
My chest heaved and I started to hyperventilate a bit. He didn't seem to notice or care, but continued to listen intently to the cops out there. I didn't give a damn what he had to say or what he'd do. I needed to breathe! So I grabbed his hand with both of mine and yanked as hard as I could, again. I got his hand away for a second, but not long enough to take a sufficient breath before he clamped my jaw shut and pointed the gun at my temple.  
  
"Damn you!" he growled. "You move one more time, and I'll blow a hole right through your head. And don't think I won't! I ain't got nothing to lose, man. NOTHING!" he hissed. My lungs clenched in my chest.  
  
"Fuck you!" Steve yelled and made to lunge at him. He was pissed. If it was possible, he was even more so than before.  
  
The guy pointed the gun back at him and shook his head in a jeering way, as if egging him on. He was waiting for Steve to do something incredibly stupid. And if I knew Steve, he'd do it too, just because he was that mad. I still couldn't breathe and Steve could tell and he aimed to do something about it.  
  
Ignoring the gun, he went in for the kill and punched the guy in the jaw. He grabbed the long hair on his head and started to thrust it backwards, not being all too careful of the fact that he was kneeing me in the stomach again. Instead of catching the felon off guard, he must've provoked him even more, because the gun shot a bullet right at Steve. It lodged itself into his leg, luckily, instead of anywhere else. He cried out along with a nice string of curse words, and fell back.  
  
If the police hadn't figure it out yet, they would now.  
  
The man - damn, I wished I knew his name - threw Steve back and stood up, dragging me up with him. I couldn't stand up straight, but he was too tall for me to kneel, so I was slumped in a odd way that I knew would get tiring before long. He backed up against the wall and kicked Steve into the corner, aiming the gun at him still.  
  
Steve's blue jumper was rapidly turning reddish and a odd copper color. There was a perfectly round hole in his thigh and it was bleeding profusely even in just the few seconds since it happened. His hands were wrapped around it tightly, causing the blood to thicken around his fingers. His face was contorted in pure pain, red and scrunched. He didn't look close to crying, but like he was doing his best to not yell out. He took a quick, sharp breath and let it out fast, than went back to holding his breath. He hunched over his leg and sat like that for a while.  
  
"Jackson!" a cop yelled. "Jackson, we know you're in there! Now come out with your weapons down and your hands up!"  
  
The man, now dubbed 'Jackson', shook me roughly, and growled through his teeth, "You're in for it now, kid." I seriously think he meant it too.  
  
"Theron Jackson, we've got your car seized outside," he barked, but sounded like he was trying to keep his cool. That was his way of letting Jackson know that he knew exactly who was in there. It was a nice try, but I'm not so sure it was going to work. Apparently they didn't know who they were messing with. This guy was insane. "We know you've got them boys in there. Let them out, all right?"  
  
Jackson refused to answer. I couldn't, or I would've, and Steve was in no position to risk his ass anymore than he already had. He was breathing rapidly and sharply against the pain, but he wouldn't move now. I doubted he'd do anything again to try and help. If he wasn't freaked out enough from a gunshot wound, I don't know what could possibly get to him. You couldn't blame him at all, but I would kill him if he tried anything else. That is if Jackson didn't kill him first.  
  
My throat kept catching itself and I could feel the oxygen slowly leaving my brain. I wasn't quite spacey yet, but I was going in that direction. There was no way around it. My lungs were still racking themselves, and it was getting worse, knowing that there wasn't anything I could do about it. I felt like a rag doll about to have a seizure, but not really ever getting that far.  
  
"JACKSON!" another cop yelled fiercely. "Leave those boys, put your weapons down, and come out with your hands up!" He was angry and impatient. I could only begin to imagine what else Jackson might be in for. It wouldn't surprise me if he was a wanted felon. No, I would be surprised if he wasn't.  
  
"That's what they want," Jackson whispered in my ear. "They think I'm just gonna go out there? Hell no. No fuckin' way, man. No. Fuckin'. Way."  
  
I closed my eyes and tried to block out his voice. God I was really starting to hate him.  
  
It was around then that Steve found his voice again. "Let him go," he gritted through the pain. "Just let him sit down!"  
  
Jackson kicked him again, in his injured leg this time, and Steve yelped. Damn, I really wished there was something I could've done about it. But I honestly couldn't move. If I could ever find my feet and catch my breath, I would beat the shit out of him for doing that to Steve. No one touched by best friend. And especially not this bastard. Hell, I would sink as low as to bite his hand if he didn't have my jaw pressed together with incredible pressure.  
  
"All right," yet another officer spoke up, "don't do anything irrational. Okay, Theron? We've got someone coming into to talk to you. Just wait this out, all right?"  
  
Jackson didn't answer, but he definitely stiffened and held to me tighter.  
  
"Boys?" the cop asked, and not waiting for an answer continued, "Don't move. Stay where you are. Are you all right in there?"  
  
Jackson suddenly spoke up. "I've got a gun, and I've already used it." He spelled out for them. "I'll use it again."  
  
There was a moment of silence when none of the cops knew what to say or do. Now they had an even stickier situation in front of them. Jackson just admitted to shooting one of us and had every intention to shoot again. By the sound of it, he was very willing to shoot me as well and that didn't help at all. Panicking requires breathing... panicked breathing requires the use of your nose AND mouth... the use of your mouth requires being able to open it. God this was only going downhill.  
  
One of them finally spoke up. "Is there something you wanted?"  
  
Jackson had no intention of answering him right then. Instead he turned to Steve and started to order him around.  
  
"You!" he barked, but Steve ignored him not knowing he was being talked to. "Hey!" Steve looked up confused. "Get that." He pointed to a bungey cord hanging on the wall.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Get that!" he repeated. "I want you to tie around his wrists."  
  
That was NOT funny. What the hell did he need to tie my wrists for? I wasn't giving him any trouble. It was taking everything I had to not kick him in the balls or elbow him in the ribs or even simply grabbing that gun from him. I was using all the self-control I had, but I was running out. If he tied my wrists together... I'd lose it. I already felt out of control and helpless since I was having trouble breathing, but to be completely out of control.... Is that not some form of claustrophobia? Because if it was, I had it.  
  
"No..." he shook his head. His tone and attitude completely changed once he got shot. He was acting a lot calmer, although he was still stubborn. "Fuck you." He went back to focusing on putting pressure on his leg. "Gawd..."  
  
"Jackson," a cop crooned. It sounded like the negotiator had gotten made his way in. Thanks the Lord! "Listen to me. We're willing to give you whatever it is that you want, all right? Just don't hurt those boys anymore."  
  
Jackson cocked the gun again, scaring the shit out of me. He couldn't be serious... "I said get that cord and tie it around his wrists!" He bit each word as it came out.  
  
Steve looked back up and realized that Jackson wasn't kidding. He glared at him, still confused, and didn't move. "Why?" He was back to pushing his every buttons. I could've killed him.  
  
Jackson's face went red and he pressed the gun back against my head. "Because, I'll cover this room with his brain if you don't," he said smugly.  
  
My eyes shot wide open and I looked at Steve, pleading for him to do with the man said. I'd take my fear of being bound to dying. I couldn't take this and I started to squirm. Jackson grabbed me more firmly, refusing to let me budge anymore.  
  
"Okay," Steve agreed quickly. "Okay!"  
  
He began to drag himself to the wall, his leg limp and bleeding all over the place. There was no way that he could be losing that much blood from one shot wound, was there? Not this fast at least. It didn't make sense to me. I could see the near-tears pain in his eyes, but being a grease he wouldn't ever go that far. The real trick for him was when he had to stand up and take the cord off the hook.  
  
"Goddamn it," he wheezed and held his breath while he reached up and ripped it down, the hook flying off with it. He chucked the rope at Jackson and sunk back down on the ground, catching his breath and going back to clutching his leg.  
  
"Theron Jackson?" the negotiator tried again. "There was some marijuana found in the truck of your car. Would you like to keep that as part of this deal?"  
  
He must've thought that Jackson was an idiot, but if he knew what he was doing... I wouldn't question it anymore. He was a paid professional. He probably had done his homework on this freak, or at least knew what would get him to surrender. This bastard couldn't be a one-time criminal. He had to have some sort of record to him. I'm sure the fuzz knew exactly what was up with this guy.  
  
"Oh no..." Jackson smiled at Steve. "Get your ass over here and TIE it around his wrists!" he said for the third time.  
  
The only reason Steve did it was to save me, and I knew that. He would've rather had Jackson shoot him again than to bind my hands behind my back, but there were certain things we were going to have to give up for this.  
  
"I'm sorry, Soda," he whispered. I couldn't nod and I couldn't speak so I hope the look I sent him was enough for him to know that I knew and was in fact grateful that he wasn't being stubborn about this.  
  
By this time my chest wasn't rising and falling like I was drowning, but I had actually gone quite limp and relaxed. It wasn't because I was used to it, but because I think I was losing enough oxygen that I couldn't think straight or have much control over my actions anymore. It wasn't possible to suffocate when you could still breathe even a little, right? I couldn't die because of this?  
  
"Jackson," the negotiator broke in, "WHAT do you want?"  
  
"I want nothing!" Jackson yelled. He found the office chair and suddenly decided to sit down, causing me to crash to the floor on my knees, my back bent over his legs so he was still holding me to him. "I fuckin' want NOTHING!"  
  
"There has to be something..." the cop tried.  
  
"Not one fuckin' thing." He polished his gun on this pant leg, showing both Steve and I that he was completely serious. He wasn't even nervous about this anymore. Part of me wanted to believe that he wasn't doing this on purpose and wasn't enjoying it. Why did I want to believe this? Because then I would know he wasn't just playing with our minds for the sake of doing it. But I knew better than that.  
  
"Then why are you doing this?"  
  
Jackson grinned to himself and chuckled a little. "To teach these boys a lesson they'll never forget."  
  
---  
  
A/n: Dun... Dun...Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh! Until next time...Thanks! And review!  
  
Review Responses:  
  
Tensleep: Well, babe, you know... a secret between the two of us... and anyone else who reads this... I don't think silent alarms existed either. But it works, right? I mean, I hope it does. And if it doesn't – it's my story and it's fanfiction. What are people gonna do, right? Haha, I enjoyed that review, even if it was only fifteen seconds long. Next time I'll give you free reign of how long you want to make them, all right? So, go for the record and send me something lengthy like you used to...hehe. Remember those days? Ahhh, I do miss them ;) Lol, later babe.  
  
Ponyboyluver: I'm glad you like it! I hope that this chapter was good enough for you. Thanks!  
  
Tessie: Wow! I'm glad you like the idea of Steve being a main character. I do too. I agree that it doesn't happen as often as it should. I don't know if you've checked out Alli's story Behind Blue Eyes, but it's ALL about Steve. You might like that if you haven't read it yet. Thanks again.  
  
TeacherTam: So, are you a real teacher? Like of English or something? Haha, no worries, you don't have to tell your age here. Although the description gives me an idea of how old you are NOT. Lol. Thanks for the comments. I greatly appreciate them. Thanks.  
  
Fyre: I totally agree with you. I'm glad you seem to think it works. I do too. I was worried about going overboard, but most people think it's all right. So, I'll go with that, lol. Thanks.  
  
Sodapop02: HAHA. Suspense is right. Yeah, I won't even tell most of the people who I talk to on a regular basis of what is going on. They get to wait and find out like everyone else. But, most of that is just payback of how little THEY tell me, lol. Anyway, thanks.  
  
Oblivious Misconception: Wow. For a while I couldn't tell if your review was a flame or a review or what, but then I started to realize, "This is Oblivious (that's what we call you, lol)... I've never known Oblivious to say something mean." So, yeah. Well, everyone interprets Steve differently, don't they? I think you might have missed a few cues in the first chapter. He wasn't being his normal self. He wasn't in a very good mood. And now he's REALLY not in a good mood. And can you blame him? As for someone coming to the rescue...well... I dunno. You'll just have to wait and see. Thanks.  
  
Rock: Just Rock huh? No other adjectives or anything? Okay. I can deal with that. But just this once. Yeah, I thought that you might like the Steve deal. And I do too. Isn't amazing how things come about and you don't even plan them? Like this story for example... Well, we'll all just have to wait and see what happens, won't we? Now, I'm hoping to have this up before you come back because I'm so bored I NEED something to do, but writing hasn't been going too grand for me. I don't know why. I've discovered, I think, that I don't write well when I'm bored. I can only write when I'm busy, or so it seems. Isn't that weird? Lol. Anyway, see you soon babe. Thanks.  
  
Goddess of Silent Tears: Hey babe! (Like the use of the word? Haha) I'm glad you liked this! I think this is the first fanfiction of mine you've ever read... wait... no, I'm wrong. Sorry, you've read DYB? And I couldn't be any more thrilled. Yeah, that's what I needed the lyrics to. I thought I knew them for sure, but man, was I wrong! Who knew that Elvis could sound so different from what he's actually saying? That nut of a genius...shakes head. Lol, thanks babe.  
  
happy-me-111: You've added me to your favorites? And after only one chapter? Wow! I feel so honored! I really do! :D I'm glad you like this even though you don't like Steve. He can be a difficult character to like, but it's not so hard to love him once you do. He's a good guy – he just might not always show it. Thanks.  
  
Sully: LOL! Thanks. Those three words cracked me up more than you can believe. I loved that review. Thanks.  
  
MananaMallard: Wow, not only do I get a review from you, but I get it times three! Haha. That was funny. I liked that. It makes me look like I have more than I really do ;) You did the review thing beautifully. I hope you've come back for the rest of this. Thanks.  
  
GageLuisSodabemine: I'm really glad you liked this. I mean... REALLY glad. Shoot, we're so glad you added us to your favorites list! That is something I can definitely deal with. I mean, wow. That makes us feel really good, you have no idea. Thanks.  
  
DaNNi BaBezZz: I'm glad you liked it that much! I haven't seen you around any of my stories for a while. I thought you completely disappeared. Thanks for reading this. It means a lot to me. I mean, every single person who puts in their input are truly good people. Lol. That sounded dumb, but I don't care. Thanks.  
  
Stephanie: Yeah, I thought you'd like it from Steve's POV. He's a great character, isn't he? Alli is more into him than I am, but I love that guy to death and beyond. He definitely deserves more appreciation and credit than he gets, don't you agree? Thanks for reading!  
  
Fyremoon: Hi back.  
  
A/n: Now review! Thank you for reading! 


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